Victorinox scales (cellidor, nylon, alox) - what's damaging them?

I don't want to be rude or anything but just use them. That's what they are built and designed for.

They are tuff enough for most jobs and cheap enough to replace if need be.

I have two that I don't use anymore for sentiment value, one is my first sportsman that looks like the scales has been to hell and back but the tools still work as day one.

So no worries ;-)


It's not failure if you learn something from it

 

Get alox if you're that concerned, I imagine. But, I've never had any trouble with my various SAKs with scales. Of course, I'm not working with caustic chemicals or anything like that.

 

If I should guess, I'd say acetone, MEK, other ketones, and hydrocarbons would maybe dissolve cellidor scales. But that's just a wild guess.

Cellidor does not like heat to much. My vintage SAK has small caverns on one side, burned with a magnifying glass. Yes, I did that when I was like 12 - so about 40 years ago. So keep it away from the grill.

But as said, if I would choose again, I'd go for Alox. Guess you can run them over with a car and they'd still be ok-ish.


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I can confirm that. I have an old cross Farmer that has been run over by a 40ton truck, and later was lost and buried in mud for one winter. It is still working - not only ok-ish, but like new.

 

Interestingly enough, the nylon scales are listed as economy models, but they are far more scratch and impact resistant than the cellidor ones. I don't worry too much about the cellidor scales, they can easily be polished back to new with a little elbow grease, and if they are too far gone, they are cheap to replace.

 

Victorinox warranties handles, blades and other things. Usually all it cost is the postage to send it back.

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Why ask us? YOU are the only one who knows if it is "worth it" to YOU. My opinion is that I don't care if my handle scales get scratched up. I don't buy these tools to look at them, I buy them to carry and use. When they are scratched, chipped, dented, battered and dirty, they still work just as well as when they are shiny and new. If I cared what they looked like, I'd buy Cellidor and keep it in a glass case so it would never get damaged.

 

Don't get isopropyl alcohol on celador.

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Understood. That's what a forum is for I guess. Exchanging opinions and experience.


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Personally I have found that both scale types (cellidor/nylon) are pretty tough and will easily stand up to everyday use.

The main difference between them is pretty much as you have guessed - the glossy cellidor scales look nicer out of the box, but will show light damage like small scratches much more readily than the more utilitarian looking nylon versions.
I guess it is also worth remembering that you will be able to polish cellidor scales if you want to clean them up and bring back a glossy, unmarked finish further down the line, or you can just replace them outright.

The only things I would generally worry about would be extreme heat and solvents - I think the only thing I have ever noted damaging the scales of one of my knives was a high strength insect repellant which left a mark on the scales (though only aesthetic), and it should be pretty obvious not to leave them anywhere that gets too hot save melting the plastic (nylon or cellidor).

Personally I would admit a preference to the nylon scales - a SAK is a tool to be used, so the more utilitarian finish I think suits it better, but really it just comes down to personal preference of the aesthetics.

 

Rubbing Alcohol of 70% or higher takes the gloss and smooth finish off of the Cellidor scales. There's a few people on Etsy and eBay who rub down the scales in 90% to give the knives a "vintage" look in the guise of "custom knives" for a hefty price. It's pretty absurd.

 

Sounds funny but I found that my pockets would rub the color off of my black Alex pioneer. I ended up carrying it in a old iPod shuffle case/pouch

 

#1-you can buy used SAKs on the Bay, flea markets, etc. for well below the cost of new. It isn't hard to find most models with tools in good usable condition. With minimal investment, use them and enjoy.

#2-Cellidor is really easy to refinish with a few grades sandpaper (wet) and some polishing compound. You can get a mirror finish in minutes.

#3-SwissBianco has some nice (and strong) copper scales. I also have a set of ti scales but they no longer offer those. They're easy to swap for the original Cellidor. Your knife will definitely weigh more!

 

The finish is essentially an anodised aluminium, so any of the coloured version will wear over time - the cadet I have been carrying for the last 8 years was originally black too, nowadays not so much.

At the same time, other than the colour the scales have held up superbly - beyond a couple of small dents where they met some concrete from a notable height, they are spot on.

I will have to admit I quite like the look the wear has given it - proof of the amount of time I have been carrying it, but if you want something longer lasting, the silver coloured models are basically unfinished so the colour won't wear down.

 

I never had any use for the corkscrew, can you tell me some of the "other things" please?

And how can anyone use that toothpick? After first use it's bent and just nasty...